Study on living conditions and access to selected basic needs in the EU outermost regions

This independent study carried out by a group of consultants provides an overview of people’s access to a selection of basic needs - housing, drinking water and sanitation, electricity, cooling and heating and internet and telephone connectivity - in all outermost regions (part I) and a focused analysis, by region, on access to two of these basic needs (part II).

The study analyses access to the selected basic needs, the infrastructure in place to enable access to such needs, identifies trends, develops a set of indicators, and puts forward recommendations (horizontal and per region).  

The analysis contained in this study is in line with the 2022 Communication ‘Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking the potential of the EU’s outermost regions’ and its focus on the need to bridge the gap in living conditions between these regions and continental Europe.  This study builds on relevant studies and data by the European Commission, national and regional authorities, and gathered during interviews and technical meetings.

The study highlights the remaining needs as well as progress made over the last years and highlights EU support in particular through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

As regards housing, the study highlights for example the need to invest further in social housing to address over-occupation, high prices and demographic pressure, and to support climate resilient and energy efficient housing infrastructure.

As regards water and sanitation, the study recommends dedicating additional resources to repairing, updating, and maintaining infrastructure for access to drinking water in the French outermost regions, and in general e.g., to invest in the modernisation of storage and in technical solutions for reusing water.

The study further recommends investing further on renewable energy infrastructure, to roll out energy efficiency, and to mitigate the risks of energy poverty. While all outermost regions have expanded electricity infrastructure, insularity and lack of interconnections hamper the stability of the electricity network.

As regards connectivity, the study recommends replacing submarine cables to ensure a stable and secure connection in the outermost regions. While internet access and speed in the Portuguese and Spanish outermost regions are comparable to mainland Europe, the study recommends investing further e.g. on 5G and increase capacity in mobile networks. Access levels and speed in the French outermost regions remain below national average despite significant efforts and the study suggests expanding and modernising the digital infrastructure.

The facts, views and recommendations contained in this study are the sole responsibility of the authors, and do not represent or engage the European Commission services.